These are a few of my ‘favorite’ peeves

These are a few of my “favorite” peeves.

No, it wasn’t a gap in the sidewalk or a streetlight. (Although, I have run into the latter on several occasions.)

It was someone on a cellphone, stopped in the middle of my path. And then another. I know, no big deal, but it got me thinking about pet peeves.

I’ve never had a pet rock, mostly because I didn’t want to wind up taking it for, um, granite. But, I’ve got some pet peeves.

For starters, the word “peeve” just peeves me. Like the Bermuda Triangle and the workings of my mind, I can’t explain why it does. But it does.

And, then of course, there’s the people in the middle of my path on cellphones. But, I can’t be too peeved with this one. I’ve done it, too. I’ve also stopped in the middle of the sidewalk just trying to remember where I was going. (Sometimes I actually remember, sometimes I don’t).

Then there’s a conversation in the morning before I’ve had my coffee. A simple “good morning,” is fine, but for someone who just had to count and recount (and recount again) four scoops of coffee, it’s always best to make sure my brain is at least semifunctioning before conversation commences.

That’s usually a little bit before noon.

Another pet peeve is people who are habitually late. And, I’m not just talking about five or 10 minutes, but by a half-hour.

Sometimes, even by a day.

And then there’s my pet peeve of forgetting to look at my calendar and realizing the person I was waiting for all day yesterday was, indeed, supposed to arrive today.

Or how about when people call you and then they put you on hold? Or those people who get into the 12 items or less lane at the supermarket with 13 items?

And let’s not forget the people in the supermarket who stand there counting your 13 items as you are putting them on the 12 items or less conveyor belt.

While I’m on the subject of supermarkets, let’s not forget the person in front of you who pays for a $12.73 purchase all in pennies. Or shopping carts with wheels that don’t all go in the same direction.

Or how about when 10 colored socks into the dryer, and only five come out, and none of them match? Or when your shoelace breaks as you are tying it and you don’t have a backup.

I went online in search of (wow, for a second there I felt like Leonard Nimoy) other pet peeves. I found a whole list at www.getannoyed.com.

One is people who name their kids strange names. Frank Zappa’s children Dweezil and Moon Unit came to my rapidly decaying mind. But, once again, there’s not much room for me to talk on this one. I named my pet turtle “Piano” when I was a kid.

And, no, I didn’t name the dog “Accordion.” Mostly because it was too long and wouldn’t fit on the dog’s license tag.

Among the list on www.getannoyed.com is “air guitar.” Now, OK, wait a minute. I’ve got to disagree with this one. I have spent years honing my air guitar skills, and I’ve only broken two strings.

So far.

Brad Wadlow’s “Over the Edge” column appears Fridays. His “Over the Edge” blog is at mycentraljersey.com.